Two games into its football season, Worcester Polytechnic Insititute is employing a two-quarterback system. If Justin Wells continues to play the way he performed last Saturday and in the manner his hometown fans from Jay have come to expect, it might not be a shared job for much longer.

Wells, who earned one Liberty League Rookie of the Week honor for his effort in the final week of his freshman season, has launched his sophomore campaign in the same fashion. He completed 10-or-16 passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns in WPI’s 52-16 rout of Becker, vaulting the Engineers to 2-0.

After replacing junior Rob Pantalone in the second quarter, Wells tossed a touchdown pass just before halftime and added another scoring strike to Orry Cummings of Windham in the third quarter.

Through two games, Wells is 12-for-23 for 145 yards.

Wells is joined by another local product, Brandon Pare of Minot, on the WPI roster. Pare, a graduate of Leavitt Area High School, is a 275-pound freshman offensive lineman.

Gallant gets his shot

On the other end of the Division III totem pole, Plymouth State has stumbled out of the gate with back-to-back losses. Last Saturday’s 35-7 verdict at the hands of Coast Guard gave one local product a chance to enjoy some quality playing time, however.

Brent Gallant of Byron (Mountain Valley) carried the ball five times for 21 yards and also returned a kickoff for 19 yards. His brief but effective performance was a sign that Gallant, a junior, is ready to follow up last year’s breakthrough season.

The 5-foot-9, 194-pound tailback rushed for 213 yards last fall, third on the team, and led the Panthers with 5.4 yards per carry. He also scored three touchdowns.

One of Gallant’s former high school teammates, David Smith of Mexico, is also set to make his collegiate debut for Plymouth State this season as an offensive lineman. Lewiston’s Pat McLellan is a first-year linebacker for the Panthers.

Seaworthy

Two area players got into the act in Maine Maritime Academy’s recent 10-0 rout of the University of Maine at Machias in women’s soccer.

Senior Kristen Gaylord of Auburn (Edward Little) and sophomore Darcy Herrick of Otisfield (Oxford Hills), both midfielders, each scored a goal in the convincing win.

Gaylord also notched Maine Maritime’s lone goal in a 1-1 tie at Farmingdale (N.Y.) State to open the season.

Last line of defense

Beth Melanson may not put up numbers that stand out as much this season, but the junior goalkeeper from Lewiston is playing a more critical role than ever for a youthful women’s soccer team at Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston.

Melanson has started all five games for the winless Leopards, making 33 saves and weaving a goals-against average of 2.44.

The junior doesn’t receive same level of defensive support as she enjoyed last fall, when she was 11-7-1 with six shutouts and a 1.20 GAA.

Quick hits

Thomas College has bolstered its soccer program with three local players this fall. Payton Austin of Lisbon falls is suiting up for the men, while Mara Davis of Wilton (Mt. Blue) and Trista Morin of Monmouth represent the Terrier women’s squad Sophomore Erica Dorso of Farmingdale (St. Dom’s) scored the game-winning goal in Husson’s 3-2 field hockey win over Saint Joseph’s last week. Junior Krystal Doughty of Lisbon Falls and freshman Jenika Kelley of Livermore Falls are Dorso’s teammates with the Eagles.